Electric shaver with magnetic latch and clutch actuated clipper



Jan. 23, 1968 s. J. DOKOS ETAL ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH MAGNETIC LATCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATED CLIPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. May 28, 1965 /A/VEN TOES 5OPHOCLE5 J. Dozos,

W/LL/AM A. Rams/em) i/oss y J 5/040 6 y 2074 Cemn ArraeA/EY S. J. DOKOS ETAL ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH MAGNETIC LATCH Jan. 23, 1968 AND CLUTCH ACTUATED CLIPPER Fi led. May 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm m Q g s mm 3 @m w wuh Alva/mks .0 5 Y @M Mme M o/"Mm DE (m .7 w /fifl 5A M 2 M P Zi 5WJ a Jan. 23, 1968 s J. DOKOS ETAL 3,364,569

ELECTRIC SHAVER WITH MAGNETIC LATCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATED CLIPPER Filed. May 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 /A/1/E/vr0/25 27 50; 7 5; 6/? 1% 5 SOP/#06155 00x05, 76 w VV/LLMM ,4. P472512 AND .58

72 65 Jase/w J 5/040 .59 75 6y 49 K 73 a go a [la z. 62 2? [y 57 Arme/VEK United States Patent 3,364,569 ELECTRIC SHAVER WlTH MAGNETIC LATCH AND CLUTCH ACTUATED CLHPER Sophocles .l'. Dolros and William A. Patzer, Chicago, and Joseph .F. Sidlo, Addison, llL, assignors to Sunbeam Corporation, Chicago, ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 28, 1965, Ser. No. 459,846 Claims. (Cl. Fill-34.1}

ABTRACT Cdt THE DISCILGSURE Electric shaver with a cutter head employing a thin perforated flexible comb and a cutter reciprocatable in a direction along the longitudinal axis of said comb, wherein magnetic means are provided to removably latch the cutter head to the rest of the shaver. Also, a clutch is enclosed to selectively actuate a clipper mechanism in addition to the cutting means of the shaver.

The present invention relates to electric dry shavers, and more particularly to electric dry shavers with im proved head retention means and also to shavers with means for trimming sideburns, mustaches, etc. The latter means may be selectively rendered effective as dictated by the desires of the user.

The electric dry shaver has today become an accepted way of removing short hair, for which mens shavers are principally designed, but also for trimming long hair such as sideburns, mustaches, etc., and in the case of ladys shavers for removing underarm hair or the like. in most, if not all, electric shavers, the cutting head is readily removable not only to make replacement thereof a simple matter but to permit ready cleaning and removal of accumulated hair clippings. Obviously, such removable cutting means must be capable of being quickly and accurately associated with the shaver in driving engagement with the prime mover. Various latching means have been employed to lock or latch the cutting head in assembled relationship with the rest of the shaver while still permitting ready removal thereof. Many of these latching means are complicated, expensive to manufacture and are not simple to actuate and release. It would be desirable to provide improved means for releasably latching cutting heads to electric shavers.

Electric shavers provided with cutting means for removing facial hair, for example, together with additional cutting means in the form of a clipper or trimmer attachment for trimming sideburns, mustaches and the like, have been extensively sold in recent years. One such electric shaver is disclosed and claimed in copending Schuessler application Ser. No. 375,787, filed June 17, 1964, which has matured into Patent No. 3,290,774, granted Dec. 13, 1966, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. In the electric shaver disclosed in the above-mentioned copending application, the trimmer attachment is actuated wherever the principal cutting means is actuated. In recent years shavers have also come into extensive use where the electric motor is operated from rechargeable batteries. Where the electric motor must drive both cutting means for removal of facial hair, for example, and also trimmer or clipping means, the powor load on the batteries is obviously increased. It will be understood that the trimmer attachment is used only occasionally, and it would be desirable if the trimmer attachment could be selectively activated and only when a long hair trimming operation is to be performed. With such an arrangement, particularly with respect to battery operated shavers, less frequent recharging of the batteries is necessary.

It will be appreciated that the addition of a clipper attachment increases not only noise but also wear and tear on the clipper attachment if it is operated whenever the shaver motor is energized. To reduce the vibration and noise when the trimmer attachment is not in use, which is a great majority of the time, it would be desirable to provide means for rendering the clipper or trimmer attachment inoperative even though the prime mover is energized. Still another reason for deactivating the clipper attachment is to remove even the remote possibilty of nicking the users skin with the trimmer or clipper attachment when the shaver is used for removing facial hairs and the user is not intending to use the clipper attachment. Thus, for safety reasons, it would also be desirable to deactivate the trimmer attachment when only the main shaving head is employed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electric shaver of the type having a clipper or trimmer attachment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an electric shaver having a main cutting head and a separate trimmer or clipper means driven by a common prime mover improved means for selectively actuating the trimmer means only when desired.

it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved clutch arrangement for the trimmer attachment of an electric shaver whereby the trimmer will not be actuated by the prime mover unless the clutch is engaged.

Still another object of the present invention resides in an improved latching means for removably latching the cutting head of an electric dry shaver to the rest of the shaver.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of an electric dry shaver with a removable cutting head having simple means for releasably securing the cutting head to the electric dry shaver in driving relationship with the prime mover of said shaver.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved electric shaver which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, generally foolproof in operation, and which will give long years of satisfactory service to the user.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an electric shaver embodying the present invention with the clutch for controlling the trimmer attachment in the declutched position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the electric shaver of 'FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the shaver of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the cutting head shown removed or separated from the remainder of the electric shaver;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line dl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a somewhat fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4-, assuming that FIG. 4 shows the complete structure;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5, assuming that FlG. 5 shows the complete structure;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 5, again assuming that FIG. 5 shows the complete structure;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective View of the trimmer attachment and the driving and clutching means for such trimmer attachment as embodied in the shaver of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a view of a portion of FIG. 4- but showing the clutch in the actuated position whereby the trimmer attachment is driven by the prime mover;

FIG. is an enlarged fragmentary sectional. view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10, assuming that FIG. 10 shows the complete structure;

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting head of the shaver of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a latching spring embodied in the cutting head of the shaver of HG. 1.

Briefly, the present invention is concerned with an electric shaver of the type having a cutting cad with relatively movable cutting means primarily designed for what is commonly referred to as shaving. This cutting head may be of any type such, for example, as reciprocal, oscillating, etc. The cutting head is removable from the remainder of the electric shaver which generally includes a hand held casing housing the prime mover. One aspect of the present invention is concerned with a mechanical latching means for latching the cutting head to the shaver. The shaver also has a trimmer attachment in the form of relatively movable clipper parts which are adapted to be driven by the same prime mover that actuatcs the relatively movable cutting means of the main shaving head. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a clutching arrangement whereby the trimmer attachment can be rendered operative only when it is desired to use the same for a trimming operation.

For the purpose of illustrating the present invention, a specific type of electric shaver is disclosed. It should be understood, however, that the aspects of the present invention are applicable to the different types of electric dry shavers well known to those skilled in the art, and it is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific type of shaver illustrated. Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated an electric shaver generally designated at 20. As illustrated, this shaver comprises a two-part casing generally designated at 21, comprising a lower cupshaped casing section 22 and an upper casing section 23. The lower casing section defines therein a motor chamber 25 (FIG. 4) for receiving any suitable form of prime mover generally designated in FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings by the reference numeral 24. This prime mover is secured in motor chamber 25 in any suitable manner. This prime mover is preferably an electric motor which may be energized directly from an electrical source through the power cord 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) or it may be energized from rechargeable batteries as, for example, the shaver disclosed in copending Iepson et al. application, Ser. No. 295,028, filed July 15, 1963, which has matured into Patent No. 3,311,763, granted Mar. 28, 1967, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. The particular construction of the prime mover 24 forms no part of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment the prime mover actuates a pair of twin drive arms designated as 27a and 27 b which are illustrated as being pivoted about a pivotal axis 28 (FIG. 4). These oscillating drive arms 27a and 27b are provided at their driving ends with cutter engaging resilient sleeves 2% and 2%, respectively (FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11). It should be understood, as will become apparent from the ensuing description, that twin drive arms 27a and 2% are employed since a twin cutting head has been illustrated. Obviously, less than two or more than two drive arms may be employed. Moreover, these drive arms are illustrated as actuating a reciprocal type of cutting head. Obviously, these drive arms could equally well be to drive an oscillating or other type of cutting head.

As illustrated, the electric shaver is provided with a suitable control switch such as disclosed in copending Jepson and Schuessler application Ser. No. 109,55l, filed May 12, 1961, which has matured into Patent No. 3,196,- 539, granted July 26, 1965 and assigned to the same assignee as the instant application. In the illustrated em- 4t bodiment only the switch control knob 39 of the switch is visible (FIGS. 1 and 2).

in accordance with the present invention, the trimmer or clipper attachment for the electric shaver 20 is mounted on a clipper block 32 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 8) preferably formed of a molded insulating material which is suitably secured to one arm 33a of an L-shaped bracket 33 (FIG. 8) by suitable fastening means 34. These fastening means 34 also hold a clipper comb 35 in shearing engagement with a reciprocal clipper cutter 36 (FIG. 5). The clipper block 32 is provided with a recess 38 which opens into an elongated transverse slot 39 adjacent the comb 35, within which slot the clipper cutter 36 may be guided for reciprocal movement. The particular construction of the clipper comb 35 and the clipper cutter 36 may be identical with that disclosed in the above-mentioned copending Schuessler application Ser. No. 375,787.

For the purpose of biasing the clipper cutter into shearing engagement with the stationary clipper comb 35, a pair of coil springs 41 (FIG. 6) are provided which are disposed in cooperating recesses 41 in the clipper block 32. These springs may be identical with those disclosed in the above-mentioned Schuessler application. The removable cutter may be provided with suitable protuberances selectively receivable in the ends of the cutter spring 40.

As best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, one side of the clipper block 32 defines a portion of the wall of easing section 22. In order to provide a pleasing appearance, the casing section 22 adjacent clipper block 32 is preferably provided with a lip portion 22a which, as best shown in FIG. 5, cooperates with a similar lip portion 32a on clipper block 32.

For the purpose of supporting the clipper block 32. in the position shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the L-shaped bracket 33 is suitably secured to the casing section 22. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the casing section 22 is provided with a pair of inwardly extending spaced ribs 22b along one side and a similar rib 220 at one end for supporting the L-shaped bracket 33. Suitable fastening means 42 passing through openings 43 in the other arm 33b of bracket 33 secure this leg of the bracket to the projections 22!). Additionally, the arm 33a of the L- shaped bracket 33 is provided with a central tab 330 having an opening 44 therein for receiving fastening means 45 threadedly engaged with a tapped opening in the upper end of rib 220. With this arrangement the bracket 33, the clipper block 32 and the associated parts of the long hair trimmer described above are firmly secured and related to the casing 22 in a very simple manner, the L- shaped bracket, as best shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, being disposed so as to in no way interfere with the motor 2 or the oscillation of the drive arms 27a and 2%.

In order to reciprocate the clipper cutter 36, there is pivotally supported on the arm 33a of the L-shaped bracket 33 a combined crank and drive arm member generally designated at 4-6. Member 46 includes a sleeve portion 46a which is pivotally supported by means of a shoulder screw 47 threadedly engaging a tapped opening in the arm 33a. The member 46 also includes a laterally extending crank arm 46b supporting a crank pin 46c. Additionally, it includes a clipper drive arm 46d provided at its free driving end with a cutter engaging resilient sleeve 48 which may be similar to the resilient sleeves 29a and 2% described above. It will be appreciated that pivotal movement of member 46 about the longitudinal axis of the shoulder screw pivot 47 will cause the drive arm portion 46a which engages the cutter 36 to reciprocate the cutter in a well understood manner.

To oscillate the member 46 about the axis of the shoulder screw 47 and, consequently, to reciprocate the cutter 36 of the trimmer attachment in response to operation of the motor 24, there is provided an elongated driver 5%, best shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 of the drawings. One end of the driver 56 is provided with an opening 51 to receive therein the crank pin 46c. Preferably the crank pin 46c is provided with a suitable groove to accommodate a C washer 52, thus pivotally securing one end of the driver St} to the crank pin 46c. The other end of the driver 50 is provided with a somewhat V-shaped notch 53 terminating in a narrow parallel walled extension 5311 for receiving therein one end of a drive pin 55 which interconnects the oscillating drive arms 27a and 27b and includes a projecting portion or end 55a disposed within the V-shaped opening 53 of driver 56. If the end of driver 56 having the V-shaped notch 53 is biased toward the end 55a of the drive pin 55 so that the end 55a is received Within the portion 53a of the notch 53, then driver 50 is effectively clutched into engagement with the oscillating drive arms 27a and 2%. On the other hand, if the portion 55a of the drive pin 55 is permitted to move out of the parallel walled notch extension 53a into the wider portion thereof, then the oscillating drive arms 27a are free to oscillate without transmitting any motion to the driver 56'. It will be apparent that with this arrangement there is provided a simple clutching means or clutch for selectively actuating the driver 56! and, consequently, for selectively rendering the trimmer attachment effective. When the trimmer attachment is not in use, then the clutch comprising the V-shaped notch 53 in driver 50 and the end or extension 55a of drive pin 55 are effectively disengaged.

So that the clutch described above may readily be actuated from the exterior of the casing, there is provided, as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, a clutch guide block 57, a clutch spring 53', a detent spring 59, a driver engaging member 60 and a clutch control button 61. In accordance with the present invention, the clutch guide block 57, the clutch spring 58 and the detent spring 59 are secured to a depending portion 33d of Lshaped bracket 33 by suitable rivets 62a and 62.5, the rivet 62:: extending through aligned openings in the portion 33d and members 57, 58 and 59, and the rivet 62b extending through aligned openings in the portion 33d and the clutch guide block 57. The ciutch spring 53 is illustrated as a U-shaped spring member with two spaced spring fingers 58a extending into a recess 63 at the upper end of the clutch guide block 57, the recess 63 being adapted to receive the driver engaging member at Moreover, the driver engaging member 66 'mcludes a flanged portion 630 of a size to just fit within the recess as for guided movement therein, and the spring fingers fi'iia bias the driver control member at in a direction away from the center of motor chamber 25.

The driver engaging member dill is provided with a pair of flanged bifurcations 60b defining a recess 64 for receiving a pinlike portion 50a integral with the driver 56. The flanged bifurcations dub of the member at) extend through a notch 65 defined in the clutch block 5'7, as best shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. The flanged free ends of the bifurcations 60b define opposed projections which engage and retain the pinlike projection dtla as best shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings. The member 6!) can readiiy be assembled to the driver 59 by sliding the pin 50a into the recess 64- from one end in a manner readily apparent to those skilled in the art. It will also be apparent that the clutch spring 53 will bias not only the driver engaging member on but also the pin 50a secured to the end of driver 50 and, consequently, the clutch end of driver 50 away from the drive pin. In other words, spring 58 normally biases the clutch described above to its nondriving or declutched position.

In accordance with the present invention, the clutch control button 61 is provided to rendereifective or ineffective the driving relationship between the end 55a of drive pin 55 and the driver 56. In order to accommodate the clutch control button 61, the upper edge of the easing section 22 is provided with a narrow slot or notch 63 (FIGS. 7 and 9) extending downwardly from the top open edge. A recess 69, wider than the notch .8, is proided, overlying notch se to define a shoulder along each side of the notch. The clutch control button 61 is provided with a finger engaging button portion 61a slidable within the wider recess portion 69 and having a narrow neck portion tit!) extending through the narrow slot 68. The button portion ii-1a includes ridges 61c readily engageable by the finger of the user, these ridges projecting from recess beyond the surface of casing portion 22. The neck portion 61b is integrally secured to a cam portion din disposed within the casing 21. Preferably the clutch control button at is integrally molded from a suitable plastic material. The cam portion 61d includes at the upper end thereof a cam surface 7% and at intermediate portions thereof a pair of positioning notches '71 and 72. The clutch guide block 5'7 and supporting portion 33d of the bracket 33 are also provided with a recess '73 and a notch 75, espectively, to accommodate the cam portion dild of clutch control button 61 and to permit reciprocal movement of button 631 in such recess and notch. Actually, the walls defining recess 73 guide such reciprocal movement of button 61.

in order that the button ell may be selectively latched in either its trimmer actuated or trimmer deactuated position, the recess 75 is open on the side remote from button 61 thus permittin the detent portion 59a of detent spring to extend therein and selectively engage either of the notches 71 or 72. The lower position of the clutch button 61 illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings is the declutched or trimmer deactuatcd position, while the upper position shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings is the clutched or trimmer actuated position. In other words, when the detent portion 59a of the detent spring 59 engages the notch 71, the ciutch is disengaged. When the detent portion 59a engages the notch 72, the clutch is'engagedI So that the clutch control button 61 can move the driver engaging member 66 toward and away from the portion 55a of the pin 55, the flanged portion 60a of memher as is provided with a recess 76, one wail of the recess defining a cam surface 77 engageable with the cam surface it will be obvious that when the clutch control button 61 is moved upwardly the cam surface 70 engages with the cam surface 77 and moves the driver engaging member cs against the bias of clutch spring 58 toward the portion 55:: of the drive pin 55. The two positions of the clutch mechanism of the present invention are readily observed by a comparison of FIGS. 4 and 9 of the drawings. In H6. 4 the clutch is in its disengaged position with the clutch control button til in its lowermost position and the detent spring 59 engaging the upper notch 71. In FIG. 9, on the other hand, the clutch control button air is in its uppermost position with the detent spring 59 engagiu g the lower notch 72. Moreover, in FIG. 9 the portion 55a of the drive pin 55 is received within the parallel wall portion 53a of the notch 53.

From the above description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved drive arrangement for a clipper attachment whereby the clipper attachment may be readily rendered effective or ineffective as the user desires by the simple manipulation of the clutch control button 61.

Considering now the main cutting head and the improved meaus for holding said cutting head in association with the remainder of the shaver 24 reference may primarily be had to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12 of the rawings. The upper casing section 23 comprises a molded member similar to the casing section 22 and the casing block 32 and, as clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, includes interfitting or interlocking parts whereby when it is assembled with the remainder of the shaver 20 it provides a pleasing appearance. The end of easing section 23 adjacent the switch button 3% is provided with a shelf portion 86' including a suitable opening 81 through which the switch button 30 may protrude. Adjacent the cutter block 32, the casing section 23, as best shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, is provided with a suitable recess 84 including a portion 23a overlying the recess M and preferably having a surface 85 which is shaped to conform to the projecting portion of the comb 35' to permit the clipper portion to be used in locations such as trimming sideburns and the like. The portion 23a and an upwardly projecting portion 23!) at the opposite end thereof define therebetween what might be designated as a cutter chamber 86. Preferably the sides of this cutter chamber 86 are defined by relatively low upstanding walls 230 and 23d, as best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The space between the projections 23a, 23b, 23c and 23d is defined by a bottom wall 23c which is a relatively flat wall and separates the motor chamber 25 from the cutter chamber 86.

In order to secure casing section 23 to the remainder of the shaver, suitable fastening means 87 are provided which extend through the wall 23, In a specific embodiment built in accordance with the present invention, the prime mover 24 was provided with tapped openings to receive the fastening means 87, but obviously they could be secured either to the motor or to the casing section 22.

To accommodate the clutch mechanism described above, the casing section 23 is provided with a suitable recess 89 adjacent the clutch block 57 to receive the latter and the associated member 60 disposed within recess 63. Thus casing section 23 does not interfere with movement of the driver engaging member 60 between the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 9 of the drawings.

So that the drive arms 72a and 27b may extend from the motor chamber 25 into the cutting chamber 06, the wall 23e is provided with a pair of spaced openings 90 and 91 (FIGS. 4 and which are preferably closed by suitable resilient hair seals 92 formed of rubber or other flexible material having openings therein to permit the drive arms 27a and 27b to extend therethrough but closely engaging these drive arms to prevent hair particles from entering the motor chamber 25.

For a purpose which will become apparent from the ensuing description, the wall 23e is provided on opposite sides thereof along the walls 230 and 23d with recesses 93,94 and 95 for receiving therein permanent magnets 96, 97 and 98, respectively (FIGS. 3, 4 and 10). Actually two permanent magnets such as 96, extending for the full distance between the projections 23a and 23b, one on either side, could be provided, but by virtue of the clutch mechanism the magnet on that side has been broken up into two short magnets 97 and 98, as clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. These magnets may be secured in their respective recesses 93, 94 and 95 by any suitable means such as cement or other suitable means.

In the specific arrangement disclosed there is provided Within the cutting chamber 86 a suitable cutting head or mechanism 100 which includes a flat plate 101 at the lower portion thereof preferably formed of carbon steel or some other suitable magnetically attractive material. The cutting head 100 is adapted to be inserted into the cutting chamber 86 and the plate 101 is magnetically attracted to the permanent magnets 96, 97 and 98 thereby releasably securing the cutter head 100 in position for ready removal. It will be understood that the magnetic latching means is equally applicable for use with any type of shaver head whether it be reciprocating, oscillating or rotary and the illustration of a specific shaver head, as far as the magnetic latching means is concerned, is by way of example only.

The cutter head 100 is illustrated specifically as having two individual cutting heads and is of the type commonly referred to as a multihead cutting mechanism. As illustrated, the cutting head comprises a head member 102 preferably formed of aluminum or similar light material into the shape of a twin channel member, as best shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, including a base portion 102a, upstanding side portions 1112b and 1020, and an upstanding central portion 102d. Within each of the two channels defined by head member 102 are a pair of identical molded U-shaped cutter guides 103 which are preferably molded of nylon and secured to head member 102 by suitable rivets 104. The legs of cutter guides are disposed in spaced parallel relationship with the side portions 1112b and 1020 and the central portion 102d of the head member 102 so as to define grooves 106, 107, 108 and 109. These grooves are comb receiving grooves, as will be described hereinafter. The rivets 104 hold the nylon cutter guides 103, the twin channel aluminum head member 102 and the magnetically attractable plate 101 in assembled relationship. Moreover, each of these members is provided with one or more aligned openings designated as openings 110 in magnetically attractable plate 101, openings 111 in the twin channel member 102, and opening 112 in each of the nylon cutter guides 103, as best shown in FIG. 11 of the drawings, through which the associated driver arm 27a or 27b and associated resilient members 29a and 2%, respectively, may extend.

For latching purposes there is interposed between each of the nylon cutter guides 103 and the associated portion of the twin channel head member 102 a comb latching spring 114, best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 of the drawings. Thus two comb latching springs 114 are provided, one in each of the channels defined by the twin channel head member 102. Each comb latching spring 114 is provided with a plurality of spring arms 114a defining detents 1141) (FTG. 12), one pair disposed in each of the grooves 106, 107, 108 and 109, respectively. The comb latching spring 114 is, of course, held in position by the same rivets 104 or fastening means which hold the members 101, 102 and 103 in assembled relationship.

In order to complete the cutting mechanism, a pair of identical combs are provided generally designated at 116, each comb comprising a comb frame 117 to which is secured a thin flexible perforated comb member 118. The comb frame supports the flexible member 118 in a manner to define a concave structure, as best shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings, and the edges of the frame 117 are receivable within adjacent grooves such as 106 and 107 or 108 and 109. For the purpose of latching the combs 116 in position, the lower edges of the frames 1'17 receivable in their respective grooves 106 and 10 7 or 108 and 109 are provided with cooperating notches 120 which receive the detent portions 114b, thus releasably holding the combs 116 in position.

In accordance with the present invention, the cutting head 100 also includes a pair of identical cutters designated at 121, best shown in FIG. 12 of the drawings. Each cutter includes a somewhat arcuate elongated inverted channel-shaped member 122 having the curved or arcuate portion thereof divided into a plurality of cutting ribs 122a. For the purpose of completing the cutter 121 and so that a driving force may be applied to reciprocate said cutter, the arcuate elongated inverted channel-shaped member 122 is provided with a pair of U-shaped cutter brackets 125, one secured to each end thereof within the confines of the channel defined by member 122, as clearly shown in FIGS. l0, l1 and 12 of the drawings. As illustrated, the U-shaped brackets 125 are nested within the channel-shaped member 122 and the legs of the brackets are preferably secured by spot welding or the like to the adjacent nested portion of channelshaped member 122. In order that a driving force from the drive arms 27a and 27b may be transmitted to the cutters 121, there is preferably provided for each cutter 121 a drive and biasing spring 126 in the form of an elongated strip spring member having a W-shaped center portion. The ends of the spring member 126 are preferably riveted as indicated at 127 to the cutter brackets 125. Preferably an interposed plastic member 128, such as nylon or the like, is provided between each end of each spring member 126 and the adjacent U-shaped cutter brackets 125. The downwardly opening recess defined by the W-shaped portion at the center of the spring member 126 is adapted to receive one of the drive arms 27a or 27b, as the case may be, whereby reciprocating motion 9 of the end of these drive arms 27a and 27b is converted to reciprocating motion of the associated cutters 121 relative to the associated combs 116. Moreover, the inherent resilience of the spring member 126 biases the cutter into shearing engagement with the associated comb, this force being provided by the drive arms 27a and 27b.

In view of the detailed description included above, the operation of the shaver of the present invention will readily be understood by those skilled in the art. It will, furthermore, be apparent that the cutting head will may readily be latched to the remainder of the shaver by virtue of the magnetically attractable plate 101 and the magnets 96, 7 and 98. Moreover, the arrangement of the comb 1'16 and cutters 121 is such as to provide a very simple and compact cutter arrangement.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and is, therefore, contemplated in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to Letters Patent of the United States is:

E. An electric dry shaver comprising a casing defining a motor chamber and a cutter chamber, said chambers having a common wall separating them, an electric motor in said motor chamber, magnet means secured to said common wall, a cutter head including a movable cutter means and a lower portion of magnetically attractive material, said cutter head being positioned in said cutter chamber with said magnet means magnetically holding said lower portion thereby removably latching said cutter head to said casing, and drive means operatively connected to said motor and extending through said common wall drivingly engaging said cutter means.

2. The electric dry shaver of claim 1 wherein said magnet means are secured in recesses defined in said common wall.

3. The electric dry shaver of claim 1 including clipper means secured to said casing and additional drive means operatively interconnecting said motor and said clipper means, said last-mentioned drive means including clutch means for selectively rendering said clipper means effective and ineffective.

An electric dry shaver comprising a motor, a casing enclosing said motor and further defining a cutter chamber having a bottom wall and upstanding side walls, a clipper assembly including a clipper comb and a movable clipper cutter, bracket means mounting said clipper assembly to said casing, a cutting head positioned in said cutting chamber and including movable cutter means, a combined crank and drive member mounted on said bracket means for oscillatory motion and having a first crank arm operatively connected to drive said movable clipper cutter and having a second crank arm, a drive rod having one end connected to said second crank arm and having a pinlike projection forming a crosshead defined at its other end, means guiding said pinlike projection for reciprocal movement, said drive rod having a V-shaped notch terminating in a narrow depression defined adjacent said other end, drive means interconnecting said motor and said movable cutter means and including drive arm means mounted for oscillatory movement, a drive pin carried by said drive arm means having a projecting portion engageable within said depression, biasing means biasing said other end of said drive rod away from said projecting portion, and manually operable cam means for selectively moving said other end of said drive rod toward said projecting portion against the force of said biasing means to selectively render said projecting portion efiective and inetfective to reciprocate said drive rod and to thereby selectively drive said movable clipper cutter.

be secured by 5. The electric dry shaver of claim 4 wherein said cutter means includes a pair of spaced apart cutters, and said drive arm means includes a pair of spaced drive arms, and said drive pin interconnects said drive arms intermediate their length.

6. The electric dry shaver as set forth in claim 4 including magnetic means securing said cutter head within said cutter chamber.

7. In an electric dry shaver, the combination of a motor, a casing enclosing said motor and including a cutter chamber, a clipper assembly including a clipper comb and a movable clipper cutter, mounting means for mounting said clipper assembly on said casing, a cutting head positioned in said cutting chamber and including rovable cutter means, a drive member mounted on said mounting means and operatively connected to said movable clipper cutter, a drive rod having one end connected to said drive member and having a pinlike projection forming a crosshead defined at its other end, means guiding said pinlike projection for reciprocal movement, said drive rod having a V-shaped notch terminating in a narrow depression defined adjacent said other end, drive means inter-connecting said motor and said movable cutter means and including drive arm means mounted for oscillatory movement, a drive pin carried by said drive arm means having a projecting portion engagea-ble within said depression, biasing means biasing said other end of said drive rod away from said projecting portion, and manually operable cam means selectively moving said other end of said drive rod toward said projecting portion against the force of said biasing means to selectively render said projecting portion effective to reciprocate said drive rod and to thereby selectively drive said movable clipper cutter.

3. An electric dry shaver comprising a casing, an electric motor in said casing, said casing including a cutter chamber defined by a wall common to said motor chamber, a clipper assembly carried by said casing and including a clipper comb and a movable clipper cutter, a cutting head positioned in said cutting chamber and including a head member having a base portion, upstanding side portions and an upstanding central portion to define a pair of spaced apart channels, a molded U- shaped cutter guide in each of said channels defining grooves with the respective upstanding side portions of said head member, a thin flexible perforated arcuately shaped cutter comb member in each channel having its edges held in respective ones of said grooves, a comb latching spring carried by said head member having detents engageable with notches in the edges of said comb members to secure said comb members in position, an elongated inverted channel-shaped cutter member provided with spaced cutting ribs forming each of said channels, a combined drive and biasing spring of generally elongated strip material having a Wshaped center portion carried by each of said cutter members forming a recess, mounting means for mounting said clipper assembly on said casing, a drive member mounted on said mounting means operatively connected to said movable clipper cutter, a drive rod having one end connected to said drive member and having a pinlike projection forming a crosshead defined at its other end, means guiding said pinlike projection for reciprocal movement, said drive rod having a V-shaped notch terminating in a narrow depression defined adjacent said other end, drive means interconnecting said motor and said movable cutter members and including a pair of drive arms mounted for oscillatory movement and each extending into a respective one of said recesses defined by said combined drive and biasing springs, a drive pin carried by said pair of drive arms and having a projecting portion engageable within said depression, biasing means biasing said other end of said drive rod away from said projecting portion, and manually operable cam means selectively moving said other end of said drive rod to- Ward said projecting portion against the force of said biasing means to selectively render said projecting portion eifective to reciprocate said drive rod and to thereby selectively drive said movable clipper cutter.

9. In an electric dry shaver, a cutting head and a motor, said cutting head comprising a head member including a base portion, upstanding side portions, and an upstanding central portion to define a pair of spaced apart channels, a molded U-shaped cutter guide in each of said channels defining cutter channels, the legs of said cutter guide forming grooves with the respective upstanding portions of said head member, a thin flexible perforated arcuately shaped comb member in each channel having its edge held in respective ones of said grooves, comb latching spring means carried by said head member having detents engageable with notches in the edes of said comb members to secure said comb members in position, an elongated inverted channel-shaped cutter member provided with spaced cutting ribs carried in each of said cutter channels, and a combined drive and biasing spring of generally elongated strip material having a W-shaped center portion defining a recess and carried by each of said cutter members, a drive arm connected to said motor and receivable in said recess, Whereby said spring biases said cutter member against its respective comb member.

10. The dry shaver of claim 9 wherein said head member includes a lower portion of magnetically attractive material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,299,098 4/1919 Ames -74 2,184,757 12/1939 Samotey 30-4392 2,200,186 5/1940 Muros 30-4392 2,370,815 3/1945 Ross 30-74 2,530,759 11/1950 Collins et al. 30-45 2,661,531 12/1953 Streng 30-4392 X 2,917,824 12/1959 Brauss 30-34.1 3,003,233 10/1961 Van Baelen 30-4392 3,039,188 6/1962 Somers et al. 30-4392 3,044,168 7/1962 Kachline et al. 30-4392 3,169,313 2/1965 King 30-4392 3,191,296 6/1965 Locke 30-4392 X 3,213,536 10/1965 Futterer et al. 30-341 3,235,962 2/1966 Greenly 30-74 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,262,046 4/ 1961 France. 1,051,161 2/1959 Germany.

811,207 4/ 1959 Great Britain.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Examiner. 

